People often look at statistics to point to areas where a team is falling down in its execution, and a glaring statistic is that Parra nearly always loses the final 20 minutes of the match.
What could cause such a glaring and chronic anomaly in our game? And it is not just this year but has been happening for many years now.
Is it the size of our forwards? Our forward pack would have to be one of the smallest of the comp particularly with the middle forwards. Mannah, Matagi, Alvaro, Terepo, Brown, Scott, etc. In fact our whole forward pack is small with Vave and Moeroa probably being the only forwards larger than 110kg. Are the bigger packs wearing us down over the course of the match?
Is lack of fitness the problem? According to 60s training reports the pre-season fitness training this year was even more intense than previous years. In the heat, wind and rain the training was intense and unrelenting so I doubt this would be a reason.
Is the team overtraining? Are the training sessions now too intense when the actual match provides much of the fitness required.
Is there insufficient tapering of the training so the team is not fully rested by match day?
Are the replacements during the match managed correctly? Usually in the final 20 minutes the starting props are back on. Do they lack spark and intensity to keep the team on the front foot during the most critical period of the match? Is the 80 minute hooker experiment not working. Maybe a different rotation may be needed.
Is there any obvious solution to this glaring weakness with the team?
Replies
I'm not greedy, I'd love to see a half of footy where we are consistent.
BA may have to drop a big name bench player to Wentworthvile.
Two bona-fide halfs and something different at dummy-half and we will all be happy little eels
it is frustrating watching us go one out against defences rushing in on us ! .... then in late in the count have no option but a bomb or worse still a kick for touch when we are behind on the scoreboard !